Global Customs & Trade Compliance Executive

Job Description Summary

Are you ready to see your career take flight? At GE Aerospace, we believe the world works better when it flies. We are a world-leading provider of jet engines, components, and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. We have a relentless dedication to the future of safe and more sustainable flight and believe in our talented people to make it happen.

The Global Executive Customs & Trade Compliance Leader is responsible for setting and executing the global strategy for customs operations, trade compliance, tariff management, and duty optimization across GE Aerospace. In this role, you will lead global risk management for export and import operations, oversees compliant execution of high-volume cross-border shipments, and ensures adherence to GE Aerospace Enterprise Standards and regulatory requirements in all regions.

This leader owns a portfolio of significant annualized duty avoidance, savings, and refunds and is accountable for building a high-performing global organization, strengthening controls, enabling business growth, and protecting GE Aerospace’s license to operate. The position leads a global operations team and functional experts across four regions (UK, EMEA, Americas, APAC), overseeing customs brokers, vendors, and site-level processes for approximately 150 locations and 150,000-200,000 shipments annually.

Key Skills & Competencies
Strategic leadership
Ability to set global vision, prioritize initiatives, and align stakeholders around execution

Risk management & compliance
Identify, assess, and mitigate customs, tariff, and trade compliance risks

Tariff & special program strategy
Design/implement global tariff management and special program optimization

People leadership & development
Lead/develop global teams and build succession pipelines
Will lead a team of 34 direct reports and 66 contingent workers

Executive communication
Strong written and verbal communication with senior leaders and regulators

Change management
Lead organizational change (new policies, tools, regulatory requirements)

Continuous improvement
Use data/audits/feedback to drive simplification, standardization, and process improvement

Vendor & brokerage management
Manage/develop/control brokers/vendors to meet performance and compliance goals

Cross-functional influence
Influence peers and leaders outside own function; communicate complex plans in executive-friendly formats

Job Description

Role & Responsibilities

Global strategy, governance & risk management

• Define and execute GE Aerospace’s global customs and trade compliance strategy (including tariff management and special program optimization).
• Establish governance mechanisms (e.g., risk councils, operating reviews) and maintain a global risk assessment framework/methodology.
• Own global KPIs and reporting across risk indicators, Enterprise Standard conformance, audit outcomes, lead times, tariff exposure, and duty optimization results.

Global operations leadership

• Lead the global customs and trade compliance operations team across four regions (UK, EMEA, Americas, APAC).
• Provide executive oversight of classification, valuation, origin determination, special programs, and recordkeeping across approximately 150 sites.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain, Logistics, Finance, Legal, Engineering, and business units to integrate customs/trade requirements end-to-end in alignment with control tower standards and strategy.

Customs brokerage management, development & control

• Manage, develop, and control customs brokers and vendors globally, including selection in alignment with Sourcing and Transportation strategy, onboarding, contractual conformance, and performance management.
• Establish and maintain controls, standards, and operating procedures for brokerage activities to ensure consistent classification, valuation, documentation, and recordkeeping.

Duty optimization, tariff management & special programs

• Own and manage significant annualized duty avoidance, savings, and refunds through tariff management, trade programs, and special regimes.
• Lead tariff strategies (classification governance, origin planning, valuation strategies) and mitigate tariffs, trade remedies, and surcharges.
• Drive special program optimization (e.g., FTAs, duty drawback, inward/outward processing, bonded warehouses, foreign trade zones, Trusted Trader Programs).
• Lead the global HS classification program to improve governance, accuracy, and consistency.
• Provide executive oversight of global BPO provider programs supporting customs and trade compliance.

Compliance investigations, audits & government engagement

• Investigate compliance defects, identify root cause, and lead corrective actions to closure.
• Manage the government disclosure process including voluntary disclosures and related corrective actions.
• Lead global external audit preparation and execution; serve as escalation point for regulatory matters.
• Ensure Trusted Trader Program requirements (e.g., AEO, ISA, CTPAT-equivalent) are met and maintained globally.

Export operations compliance & business enablement

• Lead export operations compliance globally, embedding export control requirements (licensing, screening, sanctions/embargo compliance, documentation, recordkeeping) into processes and systems.
• Assess complex/high-risk shipments and provide guidance while supporting delivery needs.
• Contribute to new engines, services, and contract negotiations by advising on customs/trade/tariff considerations.

Policy, procedure, training & continuous improvement

• Lead policy/procedure management including global standards, work instructions, and internal controls.
• Lead training programs for customs/trade compliance, tariff management, and special program usage.
• Champion continuous improvement using lean principles and digital solutions to reduce lead time, improve quality, and enhance visibility/control.

People leadership & development

• Lead, coach, and develop a global team, building a high-performance, diverse, and inclusive organization.
• Own employee development including capability building, training, career development, and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of integrity, accountability, learning, and continuous improvement; role model GE Aerospace behaviors/values with alignment to safety, quality, delivery, and cost priorities.

In addition:

• Overseeing customs brokers/vendors and site-level processes for ~150 locations and 150,000-200,000 imports annually
• Ensuring compliance and operations of Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ operations)
• Leading business continuity

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Law, International Trade, or related field from an accredited college or university
• A minimum of 8 years of experience in customs, trade compliance, global logistics, or related operations roles
• A minimum of 5 years of direct people leadership experience

Additional Information

• Ability and willingness to travel up to 10% based on business needs

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Business, Law, Supply Chain, or related discipline
• 12+ years of experience in customs, trade compliance, global logistics, or related operations roles
• Proven track record leading global or multi-regional teams and managing leaders of teams
• Deep expertise in customs regulations, import/export requirements, tariff management, and global trade regimes across multiple jurisdictions
• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale programs/initiatives, including risk and cost reduction
• Professional certifications in customs or trade compliance (e.g., CCS, LCB, similar) or equivalent experience
• Aerospace, industrial, or similarly regulated global industries
• Experience leading duty optimization, tariff mitigation, and special program strategies with material financial impact
• Experience managing external audits and voluntary disclosures with customs authorities
• Experience using digital tools, data analytics, and dashboards to drive performance and risk reduction
• Experience partnering with Supply Chain, Legal, Finance, IT, Engineering, and business leadership

GE Aerospace offers comprehensive benefits and programs to support your health and, along with programs like HealthAhead, your physical, emotional, financial and social wellbeing. Healthcare benefits include medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage; access to a Health Coach from GE Aerospace; and the Employee Assistance Program, which provides 24/7 confidential assessment, counseling and referral services. Retirement benefits include the GE Aerospace Retirement Savings Plan, a 401(k) savings plan with company matching contributions and company retirement contributions, as well as access to Fidelity resources and planning consultants. Other benefits include tuition assistance, adoption assistance, paid parental leave, disability insurance, life insurance, and paid time-off for vacation or illness. ​

GE Aerospace (General Electric Company or the Company) and its affiliates each sponsor certain employee benefit plans or programs (i.e., is a “Sponsor”). Each Sponsor reserves the right to terminate, amend, suspend, replace or modify its benefit plans and programs at any time and for any reason, in its sole discretion. No individual has a vested right to any benefit under a Sponsor’s welfare benefit plan or program. This document does not create a contract of employment with any individual.

This role requires access to U.S. export-controlled information. Therefore, employment will be contingent upon the ability to prove that you meet the status of a U.S. Person as one of the following: U.S. lawful permanent resident, U.S. Citizen, have been granted asylee or refugee status (i.e., a protected individual under the Immigration and Naturalization Act, 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)).

Additional Information

GE Aerospace offers a great work environment, professional development, challenging careers, and competitive compensation. GE Aerospace is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

GE Aerospace will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen (as applicable). Employees may also be subject to random and reasonable-suspicion drug and alcohol testing.

Relocation Assistance Provided: Yes